The present invention relates to audio-video control systems (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cAV control systemsxe2x80x9d) which comprise a controller connected to a plurality of devices including audio-video devices (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cAV devicesxe2x80x9d) and having an input unit, which is manipulated to control the operation of the plurality of devices.
Already proposed is an AV control system as shown in FIG. 30 and comprising a host computer 40 connected via a device control unit 20 to a group 30 of devices such as a DVD player 31, VCR 32, LD player 33, CD player 34, TV receiver 35 and AV amplifier 37. The host computer 40 has an input-output unit, i.e., a keyboard 42, and a display 43, which are used for collectively operating the group 30 of AV devices.
The desired AV device can be caused to operate using the AV control system by manipulating the keyboard 42 to select the desired AV device on a device selection frame projected on the display 43, and further selectively manipulating required keys on a frame showing a plurality of operating keys for the selected device.
The device control unit 20 has output ports having connected thereto the signal output devices, such as VCR, among the AV devices, input ports having connected thereto signal input devices such as AV amplifier, and control ports for delivering control signals to the devices. Each specified device is connected to such ports as predetermined.
The AV control system is so adapted that when the user manipulates one contents select button among a plurality of contents select buttons which are shown on the display 43 for realizing the predetermined operations (contents) of one or more of the AV devices, the operation corresponding to the manipulated button can be performed.
For example, when xe2x80x9cVCR-1xe2x80x9d button is manipulated, the control unit 20 controls the devices concerned using control ports and switches the connection relation between output ports and input ports for the execution of the following operations in sequence.
(S1) Turning on the power supply of VCR-1.
(S2) Setting VCR-1 for use as the sound input source.
(S3) Setting light 1 (illumination of the room) at a brightness of 20%.
(S4) Setting VCR-1 as the video input source.
(S5) Setting the liquid-crystal projector in video mute state.
(S6) Setting VCR-1 in condition for PLAY.
(S7) Bringing the liquid-crystal projector out of the video mute state.
(S8) Switching the input signal of the liquid-crystal projector to xe2x80x9cvideo 1.xe2x80x9d
With the conventional AV control system, however, the connection relations between the ports prepared for the device control unit 20 and the devices are prescribed, and it is necessary to connect the control terminals of specified devices to the control ports, and the input terminals and output terminals of the specified devices to the respective output ports and input ports according to the prescription. The system has the problem that this connection work is very complex.
An object of the present invention is to provide an AV control system which is connectable to devices with greater ease than conventionally.
The present invention provides an AV control system which comprises a controller for controlling a plurality of devices including AV devices, the controller comprising:
a plurality of control ports for outputting control signals to the plurality of devices,
connection table storing means having stored therein a connection table prescribing connection relations between the control ports and the devices,
means for prescribing the control port for feeding the control signal to each device with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for displaying the connection relations between the control ports and the devices on an image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for modifying the connection relation displayed on the screen in accordance with manipulation of an input unit; and
means for rewriting the connection table based on the result of the modification.
With the AV control system of the present invention, each device can be freely connected to the desired one of the control ports of the controller.
The connection relations between the control ports and the devices are thereafter displayed on the image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the connection table storing means. The table storing means has stored therein the initial values or previous values of the table indicating the connection relations between the control ports and the devices, and these relations are to be displayed by the relation displaying means with reference to the table. In the case where the connection of one of the devices to the control port is subsequently changed, the connection relation concerned and displayed differs from the actual one.
Accordingly, the input unit is manipulated to modify the displayed connection relation to the actual connection relation. This modification can be performed easily on the screen while visually recognizing the actual connection relation.
Based on the modified connection relation, the connection table is thereafter automatically rewritten to represent the actual state of connections.
Consequently, the port prescribing means defines the control port for feeding a control signal to each device so as to feed the control signal to the control port having the intended device connected thereto and to control the device.
Specifically stated, the connection relation modifying means comprises:
device name storing means having stored therein the names of a plurality of devices connectable to the controller,
means for displaying the device names stored in the name storing means on the screen in accordance with manipulation of the input unit, and
device name changing means for selecting one of the connection relations displayed on the screen and changing the name of the device involved in the selected connection relation for the device name as selected from the device names displayed on the screen upon the selection of the device name.
With this specific construction, one of the connection relations displayed is selected and one of the device names displayed is selected by manipulating the input device. The name of the device involved in the selected connection relation can be changed for the selected device name merely by this procedure, whereby the connection table can be rewritten easily.
The present invention further provides an AV control system which comprises a controller for controlling a plurality of devices including AV devices, the controller comprising:
input ports to be connected to signal output devices included in the plurality of devices,
output ports to be connected to signal input devices included in the plurality of devices for receiving signals from the signal output devices,
connection table storing means having stored therein a connection table prescribing connection relations between the ports and the devices,
port prescribing means prescribing the input port for receiving the signal from each signal output device and prescribing the output port for feeding a signal to each signal input device, with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for displaying the connection relations between the ports and the devices on an image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for modifying the connection relation displayed on the screen in accordance with manipulation of an input unit; and
means for rewriting the connection table based on the result of the modification.
With the AV control system of the present invention, each signal output device can be freely connected to the desired one of the input ports of the controller, and each signal input device to the desired one of the output ports of the controller.
The connection relations between the ports and the devices are thereafter displayed on the image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the connection table storing means. The table storing means has stored therein the initial values or previous values of the table indicating the connection relations between the ports and the devices, and these relations are to be displayed by the relation displaying means with reference to the table. In the case where the connection of one of the devices to the input or output port is subsequently changed, the connection relation concerned and displayed differs from the actual one.
Accordingly, the input unit is manipulated to modify the displayed connection relation to the actual connection relation. This modification can be performed easily on the screen while visually recognizing the actual connection relation.
Based on the modified connection relation, the connection table is thereafter automatically rewritten to represent the actual state of connections.
Consequently, the port prescribing means defines the input port for receiving a signal from each signal output device and the output port for feeding a signal to each signal input device so as to feed the signal from the signal output device to the intended signal input device.
Specifically stated, the connection relation modifying means comprises:
device name storing means having stored therein the names of a plurality of devices connectable to the controller,
means for displaying the device names stored in the name storing means on the screen in accordance with manipulation of the input unit, and
device name changing means for selecting one of the connection relations displayed on the screen and changing the name of the device involved in the selected connection relation for the device name as selected from the device names displayed on the screen upon the selection of the device name.
With this specific construction, one of the connection relations displayed is selected and one of the device names displayed is selected by manipulating the input device. The name of the device involved in the selected connection relation can be changed for the selected device name merely by this procedure, whereby the connection table can be rewritten easily.
The AV control system of the present invention assures more facilitated connection to the controller than in the prior art.